Eva Jacqueline Longoria Parker (born March 15, 1975) is a Golden Globe Award-nominated American film and television actress. She plays Gabrielle Solis in the ABC television series Desperate Housewives. She has also become an internationally recognized model after appearing in several high-profile advertising campaigns and numerous men's magazines. Longoria is also known for her high profile relationship with NBA guard Tony Parker, whom she married in 2007. Contents

Eva Longoria Parker was born Eva Jacqueline Longoria in Corpus Christi, Texas, the daughter of Mexican-American Catholic parents, Enrique Longoria, Jr. (born in Rachal, Brooks County, Texas) and Ella Eva Mireles (married in Falfurrias, Brooks County, Texas).[2][3] Her ancestry traces to Southern Mexican immigrants who immigrated to the United States. She has three older sisters: Elizabeth Judina, Emily Jeannette, and Esmeralda Josephina. The family lived and worked on farmland that had been handed down to them from past generations, but they often had very little money; Enrique and Ella struggled for many years to give their children a decent upbringing. Eva showed viewers an introspect into the hardship she faced in her formative years growing up poor on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006; she took cameras on location to the family farm, and showed how spartan they were still living. Longoria admitted that things looked slightly better for them financially, only when she made it in show business. In an interview with Dateline's Stone Phillips, Longoria also revealed the snubbing she received from her siblings. She said "I grew up as the ugly duckling. They used to call me 'la prieta fea,' which means 'the ugly dark one.'"[4]

Longoria attended Marvin P. Baker Middle School and later Roy Miller High School, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology at nearby Texas A&M University-Kingsville. During this time, she won the title of Miss Corpus Christi, USA in 1998. After completing college, Longoria entered a talent contest that led her to Los Angeles; shortly after, she was spotted and signed by a theatrical agent. With many family members still living in Corpus Christi, she still returns to her home town for visits.

Career

Longoria landed her first television role in 2000, guest-starring in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. Another guest appearance in General Hospital the same year brought her big break on the popular American soap opera The Young and the Restless, in which she played psychotic Isabella Braña Williams from 2001 to 2003. People en Español listed her among its "Most Beautiful People" for 2003. After leaving The Young and the Restless, she was seen on the now-cancelled Dick Wolf revival of Dragnet. Although it lasted only two seasons, the show gave Longoria another leading star credit to her name. Following Dragnet, she starred in two ill-fated productions - Señorita Justice, a poorly received direct-to-video film, and a television film titled The Dead Will Tell. In 2004, Longoria landed a role that elevated her to the A-List. She starred as adulteress Gabrielle Solis in the worldwide break-out ABC hit Desperate Housewives. As the show became an overnight sensation, Longoria's career was well and truly launched. But she has never considered her career to have jumped off so suddenly, "I think it's funny when people say I'm an overnight sensation, because I've been working at it for 10 years."[5]

Shortly after her debut on Desperate Housewives, Longoria starred in a poorly received direct-to-video film titled Carlita's Secret, for which she was also co-producer. In 2005, she was rewarded for her performance as Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives when she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy along with her co-stars. Even though neither Longoria nor any of the rest of the cast won, she was awarded the prestigious ALMA AWARD and named entertainer of the year. She also starred opposite Michael Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland in the 2006 thriller The Sentinel, which was her first major role in a theatrical movie (both Douglas and Sutherland noted that much to their surprise Eva whipped both of them in gun practice). Longoria continues to be included in lists of Hollywood's Most Beautiful and was listed #1 in Maxim's Hottest Female Stars of 2005 and 2006, becoming the first woman to top the list in two consecutive years. She was ranked #9 in the magazine's Hot 100 of 2007 list.[6] In her most recently released film, Harsh Times, she plays the character Sylvia and co-stars with actors Freddy Rodriguez and Christian Bale.

In her interview with Ryan Seacrest on The Interview with Ryan Seacrest on E!, she stated: "I don't want to be on 7th Heaven -- on for 20 years and no one's really watching, and it's hanging on by a thread." She has also stated multiple times that she will not renew her Desperate Housewives contract once it is up. Instead, she has set her sights on the film industry.[7] At the time of her statements, the length of her contract was not known, but she has since revealed it to be 10 years, starting from the first season.

In 2006, Longoria appeared in Jessica Simpson's music video "A Public Affair" along with Christina Milian, Christina Applegate, Ryan Seacrest, Maria Menounos, and Andy Dick. Longoria was on the cover of the September 2006 issue of Maxim Magazine. She sat down with Maxim and discussed how contrary to belief, her life really is normal. "Tony [Parker] and I spend most of our time in San Antonio. We have such a normal life there. I mean, we hang out and have breakfast, go to his parents', go to my parents'. Do laundry."[8]

Longoria recently won a People's Choice Award for Best TV Actress.[9] In January 2007, Longoria was chosen to be the first face of Bebe Sport. She will appear in the Spring/Summer 2007 campaign, photographed by Greg Kadel. The actress also holds model contracts with L'Oreal and Hanes, New York & Co.[10] Longoria also hosted the 2007 NCLR ALMA Awards on June 5, 2007, on ABC.

In 2007, the stars of Desperate Housewives each renewed their contracts with ABC for four years, worth $40 million. In November 2007, Longoria won a Bambi award in Germany for best TV Actress.

Personal life To meet Wikipedia's quality standards, this section may require cleanup because it is in a list format that may be better presented using prose.You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (November 2007)

Longoria was married to General Hospital star Tyler Christopher from January 20, 2002, to January 19, 2004, and as such, was also credited as Eva Longoria Christopher. She has been romantically linked to successful writer Milan Gracanin, ex-*NSYNC member JC Chasez, Benjamin Dudash [back up dancer for *NSYNC], actor Mousir Syed and Life As We Know It star Sean Faris (although both Faris and Longoria deny any romantic link). Like many South Texans, Longoria is an avid San Antonio Spurs fan and is a courtside regular at Spurs games. On November 30, 2006, she became engaged to Spurs point guard Tony Parker. The two called in to the Ryan Seacrest radio show to announce it. She said the way he proposed was "perfect, personal, and sweet." After playing against the Utah Jazz, Parker flew out to Los Angeles, which was unexpected because she never thought he would come there after the game. She got off work at about midnight and found Parker waiting for her. The couple was officially married on July 6, 2007, because French law requires couples who marry to make their vows official at a city hall. They had their lavish church wedding on July 7, 2007 in Paris.[11]

On June 14, 2007, the Spurs won the 2007 NBA Finals in Cleveland, Ohio against the Cavaliers, and Parker was honored as the Finals MVP for the series. Longoria was shown wiping many tears as Parker was awarded the trophy.[12] In September 2007, she started a restaurant in Los Angeles called Beso which translates to kiss.

In Desperate Housewives, she is now credited as Eva Longoria Parker.[13]

Eva Longoria Parker says she's ready to quit Desperate Housewives to start a family and pursue a film career.[14][15]

Longoria founded Eva's Heroes a charity which helps developmentally disadvantaged children. She signed shoe for the Spirit of Women Red Shoe Celebrity Auction. Longoria also supports the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Stroke Association, Project HOME and St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital.[18]

FilmographyYear Title2001 Television series

* The Young and the Restless as Isabella Braña Williams (2001 - 2003) o credited as Eva Longoria

2003 Television series

* The Talent Agency as the Host * Dragnet as Det. Gloria Duran

Direct to video

* Hot Tamales Live: Spicy, Hot and Hilarious o also credited as a producer for this film * Snitch'd as Gabby

2004

* Carlita's Secret as Carlita o also credited as the co-producer for this film